by Taylor, Dan
“I have seen people go in and out and they weren’t wearing hazmat suits. That means that whatever is inside is kept safe. This could be the answer to why this is happening.” She looked at Abel pleadingly with her big brown eyes, “The people deserve to know.”
Abel thought for a moment. He was curious about what was going on too. His inner Lieutenant Colombo wanted him to find out but he wasn’t willing to risk his life for the answer. “How would we even get in? The place is guarded.”
Lydia reached into her satchel and pulled out a scalpel knife, a souvenir from her sleuthing, and gave Abel a patronising look. “It’s a tent Abel.”
Abel chuckled. “Now I know you’re mad.” It was his turn to give her a patronising look, “That thing is sealed for a reason and I’m not sure the tent isn’t entirely canvas. It does have a glass door after all.”
Lydia looked down despondent. He was right. The outside was canvas but inside was probably something else. There was a set of mirrored glass double doors which the HIVE soldiers were guarding. “Well how would you get in smarty-pants?”
“Well if we were to go in, which we’re definitely not, we would distract the guards and then sneak in the front door,” Abel said with confidence.
“That’s Perfect,” she replied enthusiastically and before Abel had a chance say anything further, Lydia had picked up a stone and threw it at a nearby parked car. She was aiming for the windscreen but hit one of the front lights, not hard enough to smash but it was enough to set off the cars alarm.
The two soldiers reacted quickly, both pointing their machine guns in the direction of the noise. They looked at each other and said something which Abel and Lydia couldn’t hear. Slowly they both approached the car on either side, guns drawn. At the same time, Lydia grabbed Abel’s hand and they ran across the road and quickly slipped inside the mirrored double doors, shutting them before the soldiers had a chance to see anything. Abel knew this was beyond crazy. Every sensible bone in his body told him he was doing something wrong but when he was around Lydia, he couldn’t help himself. Abel fully expected to be walking into a building full of armed HIVE agents but to his surprise there was nobody around and the inside of the tent was quiet. The fluorescent lighting gave the place an eerie glow. It looked as though the inside was made out of glass boxes connected to form a building and then covered in the white tent. He felt like they were in a giant terrarium.
There was only one route. A small corridor which they speedily walked down, trying their best to be quiet and to get away from the front door where the agents were posted. They felt exposed in that corridor and if anyone was to come in, they would be easily spotted. Past a coat stand with two white lab coats was another glass door and inside they found a small four-foot by four-foot room. They grabbed the lab coats and tried to get through the doors the other side but it was locked. Above this door a small red light shone steady. Abel noticed the floor was sunken slightly and was wet. There was a chemical smell like bleach in the air. Above his head was a shower head and a pull cord.
“It’s a decontamination shower,” he commented to Lydia, “We had these when mad cow disease broke out. You couldn’t go to, or leave, a cattle farm without going through one. The floor has a decontamination liquid on it to sterilise the bottoms of our feet. You see the light above that door? It won’t turn green and let us through until we have been showered. This confirms that whatever is behind that door is dangerous.”
“You know what I’m going to say, don’t you?” Replied Lydia.
Abel sighed, “That this is your journalist responsibility to get the truth. The people deserve to know, et cetera. We have to be sensible here. We could be putting our lives a risk.” Abel looked at Lydia with pleading eyes, hoping she would reconsider.
Lydia looked at the wet floor for a moment considering her response “Actually, I was going to say that Dangerous is my middle name” and with a swift grasp of the pull cord she flooded the room in a white opaque mist. Through the mist, Lydia could just make out the red light on top of the door turn green, like a lighthouse beacon in the fog. She flung the door open as if she was about to catch someone red handed in some unlawful act and Lydia and Abel stepped into the room.
This was a much larger area. Well-lit and full of scientific equipment. In the corner of the room was a young man in Royal Duchess hotel uniform, with a broken chain hanging from a collar around his neck and red stains that ran from his eyes and down his cheeks. He was bent over another man affixing some sort of helmet. To Abel’s horror it was the large, grinning, scarred man who had winded him that day and chased him and his friends to the church.
Chapter 44
Klutz had just strapped the metal helmet onto Callum’s head when the intruders broke in. Abel put an arm in front of Lydia and flicked out his truncheon. Klutz wiped some blood from around his mouth. “They’re infected,” Abel whispered to Lydia. To Klutz’s surprise he could hear them whispering from across the room. “I can hear you,” he replied meekly, “And I was infected but I’m cured now. I think.” He beamed a red stained smile then dropped his head when he saw the horror in their eyes. “Did the other scientists not tell you? Dr Leitner and Dr Jason? No? I broke my chain. Sorry, I’m still getting used to my new strength. But don’t worry I’ve eaten recently and am quite confident that I am full control of myself.”
Abel and Lydia stayed still as statues by the door. Their common sense told them that just because this person claimed to be cured of a new highly infectious disease that turns people into cannibals, it does not necessarily mean they are correct. The fact that he had told them he was in control because he had ‘just eaten’ and that he claimed to have the strength to break metal chains did not provide much comfort. The door appeared to be the only exit so they were staying right where they were. “Stop what you are doing,” exclaimed Abel trying to sound authoritative.
“I’m sorry but I can’t. I need answers and I feel like this man is the only one who can give them to me.” As Klutz spoke, he was pouring the clear jelly like substance from a large beaker into the helmet’s syringes. “You see, I know the other scientists were lying to me. I could tell they were holding information from me. This man was a scientist too, and now he is Patient Zero.” Klutz gave the pair an untrusting look. “You might lie to me too.” He flicked a button and the syringes clamped down onto into the helmet and injected the substance into Cullum’s head. Callum’s eyes widened until they were almost popping out of his skull. His body convulsed and shook like he was having a fit. A horrible pained squeal came from his mouth. Suddenly there was a hiss from behind Lydia and Abel. The decontamination showers had been set off and someone was trying to get into the room. Instinctively Abel and Lydia took a few steps from the door and towards the MRI machine. This was the furthest distance they could be from the door and Klutz and Callum.
The door swung open and through the decontamination mist stepped out three HIVE agents. Two had Machine guns which were pointed at Abel and Lydia, the other had a modified Browning Hi-Power handgun pointed at Klutz. Dressed in black armour with black helmets they looked like three giant and menacing woodlice. The one in the middle ordered them all to raise their hands. They responded by lifting their arms up slowly and synchronised.
Beneath Delta One’s helmet the voice modulator gave him a distorted, icy tone. “PC Abel Coleman and Lydia Sato. The base has been looking for you two. You have left quarantine without proper authorisation and so will now be put under arrest by the authority of the HIVE military police. Lie face down on the ground. Arms behind your backs.”
Lydia and Abel did as they were told. Delta Six glided over to them and cuffed their arms behind their backs using cable ties she had pulled out from one of her pockets. She then gagged them with two handkerchief sized pieces of fabric she pulled from another pocket. Even whilst they were restrained, she kept her machine gun pointed at them, her finger on the trigger. “Targets neutralised, Sir,” she reported back to Delta One.
> Delta Three addressed his commanding officer without moving his sight from the scope on his handgun. “This one has ripped its chain off. Should I put him down?”
“Not just yet. Let’s restrain it first. We don’t want to go back into Bayhollow to get more specimens. I was watching this one earlier. He can be reasoned with.”
“Okay Sir, but if he takes a step closer, I will have to take evasive action,” replied Delta Three defiantly.
Klutz was scared of these soldiers. Their black visors and the robotic modulated voices through their helmets made them seem alien and dangerous. The whole time he had been here they had never addressed him person but called him ‘It’ and ‘the specimen’. He tried to reason with them. “Please don’t shoot. I’m not dangerous, any more. I am cured. Let me get back to my bed, I promise not to hurt anyone.”
Klutz took a step forward and Three’s Browning handgun went off sending a bullet through Klutz’s left shoulder. The bullet entered leaving a small coin sized hole but exited leaving a hole the size of a baseball. He cried in agony and as he fell, he reached for the empty gurney and set it flying into Delta Three who was knocked off his feet. Whilst Delta Three was struggling to get up, Klutz was screaming in pain. Bits of shoulder bone and flesh stuck to the glass wall behind him. Delta One pulled Three to his feet and surrounded Klutz who raised his good arm in a pathetic attempt to plead for his life. Delta Six, who had stayed by Lydia and Abel during the commotion also had her machine gun trained on Klutz. On the floor behind her Abel and Lydia were frantically yelling muffled screams through their gags at the HIVE agents. Whilst the commotion was happening with Klutz, Six noticed that the tall, scared man was no longer strapped to the gurney and screaming in pain. Realising, too late, the muffled cries of her captives were not of terror but a warning she spun around in time for Callum to grab her helmet and twist her head clean off. The decapitated body dropped to its knees and a rhythmic fountain of blood spurted out to the tune of her dying heartbeat.
A rain of bullets hurled from Delta Ones Machine gun towards Callum who was quick enough to evade to the back of the MRI machine. Delta One stepped towards the MRI and over the body of his now dead comrade in arms. A pang of guilt rang in his heart. He had failed to spot the hostile escape. He has seen how undisciplined Three was yet chose him on this mission. This was his mess. He barked orders for Abel and Lydia to stop screaming and for Delta Three to restrain the other specimen. Swiftly and cautiously Delta One rounded the MRI machine and fired a burst of bullets but the target was gone.
Delta Three had his handgun pointed at Cullum’s head. He was muttering to himself in blind range. “You freaks killed her. You monsters. I should put you down like the animal you are.” His finger quivered dangerously on the trigger when he suddenly felt a sickly cold hand on the arm he was aiming with. It pulled his hi-powered gun upwards towards the ceiling and away from Klutz. In his ear a cool breath tutted then spoke softly. “Tut Tut Tut. no eres agradable. Leave the poor boy alone.” He continues to lift the arm until it burst out the socket with a loud pop. The gun fell to the floor from and the limp limb dropped to his side. Once again Callum put his hands on the Hive agents’ helmet and twisted the head full circle. Like the dislocated arm, the rest of the agent’s body followed suit and dropped to the floor.
Delta One watched these scenes in horror. He had never faced an enemy like this. He tried to raise the machine gun but his body was stiff and his arms were shaking. He felt something he had not felt for a very long time. He felt abject terror. He needed to fix this mess and there was only one thing could get him through this. He needed his worker bee serum. He fiddled haplessly with the unit on his arm and opened the injection control panel. In his pocket, he fumbled for the vial. The whole time the large scarred man was watching him from across the room with a smile on his face. He didn’t even bother to hide. The hubris of it sent chills through his body and covered his arms in goose bumps. The man wouldn’t be smiling for long that was for sure. He fitted the vial in its slot and the comforting liquid sent a warm and soothing feeling through his body. He stopped shaking, his goose bumps and chills disappeared. He was calm and clear on his mission. His muscles flexed and he could feel the strength and agility back in him. In a robotic action, he raised the machine gun and aimed at his target. “Nowhere to run now zombie man.”
Cullum’s smile grew wider and his eyes sparkled in satisfaction. “Zombie man? Like a super hero? I like that. But there is one problem. I am not a zombie, HIVE slave, you are.”
Delta One had enough. He squeezed his finger as hard as he could. The gun didn’t fire. He looked at his hand and his index finger was nowhere near the trigger and what was worse was that no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t move his finger any closer.
“Do you like the Worker Bee serum? Do you feel strong and in control?” Callum chuckled to himself. He had won. “You must know who created that serum. It was me and Dr Leitner. Worker Bees are the ultimate zombies. They have no free will. They are born sterile and live performing various tasks given to them by the queen bee. They collect pollen, build honeycombs or guard the nest. They are strong and dangerous to anyone who tries to attack the Hive or the queen bee. But incapable of attacking their own nest. This is what you are now. A worker bee. Did you really think that HIVE would have us create something that the grunts could use against it? They gave you all this power and strength but you cannot harm the queen bees and must follow their orders. There are a few queen bees at HIVE. Me and Dr Leitner of course are two of them.” Callum casually strolled over to Delta One. “I do not like hurting people. But HIVE are not the peace givers we all think they are. I wanted you to know this before you died.”
Callum raised his arm hit Delta One with terrific force in the head. He flew across the room and hit a wall. His head was lopsided in an unnatural position and he was still and unmoving. With that problem resolved he walked over to Abel and Lydia who were still tied and gagged face down on the floor. He pulled the cable ties roughly off their cuffs. They sat up and removed their gags.
“And who are you. Some kind of new interns or something?” He gave them a questioning look when a realisation hit him. He looked at Abel, “I have seen you before at the hotel. You were that police officer who tried to arrest me. Sorry about knocking you over, I was still in a newly infected stated and had to get away from you in case the brain-dead madness part of me took over.” He then looked at Lydia. “And you. You were together when that hoard chased you into the church.” He smiled. “I tried to keep them away from you as long as I could. Looks like it worked out okay. You have survived after all.” This last part he said flippantly. “So, who are you. I don’t think you are HIVE. Why are you here?”
Lydia spoke nervously, “I am Lydia Sato. A journalist. I knew there was more going on than what the HIVE press conferences were saying so, me and Abel snuck in to get to the truth. Abel is as you said a police officer and he witnessed some wrongdoings by HIVE employees.”
“Well Miss Sato, I imagine you wanted to hear my story, I can give you the exclusive of your dreams. But first we have to all get out of here. Klutz, you should come too. I have much to tell you,” Callum smiled his sinister smile.
Abel and Lydia had no choice. They had to go with Callum and Klutz. Although they were clearly both dangerous, Abel thought it might be possible to escape the monstrous duo once they were clear of Camp Nectar. He knew didn’t trust Callum, he was violent and strong as a titan, but he and Lydia were being hunted by HIVE and he knew for sure he couldn’t trust them. The look in Sergeant Green’s eyes during the interrogation had told him as much. He had a feeling if they went back to his captors he could be held and probably imprisoned for a long time. If they could escape then they may get to the truth of what has happened in Bayhollow.
Chapter 45
Delta One awoke. He straightened his aching body. His helmet was twisted round and he felt an ache in his neck. Carefully he pulled his helmet off. His visor was cracked
and the heads-up display stuttered an offline message. A shard of metal from one of the machines had pierced straight through his right leg. His black trousers were wet with warm, sticky blood. He knew this would have been pass out agony but the worker bee serum was still in his system and keeping him rational. A shadowy figure stood in front of the light above him masking their face. As it stooped closer to inspect his mangled body, and the wrinkled face of Dr Schaf Leitner came into Delta One’s view. A siren was ringing and a commotion could be heard outside but he was not distracted. He could guess what was happening.
In his raspy voice he asked, “I take it they have escaped, Delta One?”
Delta One nodded.
“The worker bee serum is keeping you strong and alive I see. Thank god you injected yourself with it.” Leitner smiled at Delta One. Delta One did not smile back. “Ahh I see,” replied Leitner. “You tried to apprehend Callum but you were not physically able to. You have found out what Holt, the Prime Minister and what the people at the top of HIVE didn’t want you to know. The serum in your body makes it incapable to commit any friendly fire. Friendly fire being any HIVE employee or those which HIVE protect. In this case you could not Kill Dr Calum Jamison. In fact, you wouldn’t be able to kill me even if it meant saving your own life. There wasn’t one command you were given which you could have refused. It’s very cleaver really. It ensures HIVE get to have super soldiers to win their wars and complete their contracts and yet have them docile as dogs to their masters. You didn’t really think that Holt would have a bunch of super powered humans running around with the ability to turn against the company and against him, did you? That’s also why it is a serum that wears off and isn’t something permanent.”